Life-saving suit.



B. E. HERVEY.

LIFE SAVING SUIT. APPLi cAT|oN FILED MAR.9,1916.

1,197,823. Patentedsept. 12,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

- B. E. HERVEY.

LIFE SAVING SUIT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.9.1916.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN E. HRVEY, 0F WALLACE, IDAHO.

LIFE-SAVING SUIT.

To all whom t mag/concern.' i

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN E. HERVEY, residing at Wallace, in the county of Shoshone and State of Idaho, have invented certain' new and useful'Improvements in' LifeLSaving Suits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in life saving appliances and has particular reference to that class of life saving devices in the nature of garments, espe.

cially designed for ocean traveling, and which, in an emergency can be quickly placed over the clothing usually worn.

In the practical development of life saving devices of the general character stated, such as have been reduced to practice, they have been more or less complicated in their structure and cumbersome, Ito such extent that in putting them on the services of an attendant has been necessary and the closing of the separable vparts eected from the outside.

My invention primarily has for its object to provide a life saving outfit or suitof a simple and economical construction, which,

. when not in use may be packed and carried with other baggage and which when required, can be easily manipulated by" the user when applying the same for use, and in which the .closure elements are such that locking of the separable parts is effected by the user inclosed within the suit.

y Again, my invention seeks to provide a life saving means of the general character stated, which, when not. in use can be folded u in a 'compactform and when applied ont e person for useserves as a container vfor holding the person upright in the water with `thehead well above thel water, either ,incased within the closed head portion or exposed, under conditions that permit of the user opening the head gear.

Again, my invention has for vits object to provide an improved life saving appliance or suit, ,of a light and durablecharacter and such that when litted will,'when the user dives into the water, quickly bring the person contained therein, tothe surface in an upright position and a'ord sufficient use ofthe arms to allow such user to adjust thev port holeto admit air to the interior ofthe suit. l

Further` objects of my invention will be apparent inthe' detailed' description there'- of, and whichjconsists in the peculiar com- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

" Application mea March e, 191e. serial No. 83,156.

bination and' novel arrangement of parts, l

hereinafter described, specifically pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:`

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my '1nvention, the same being shown as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, the same being shown in the operative condition. Fig. 3 is a perspective view that illustrates the manner of putting on the suit. Fig. 4 is a section of the upper or head gear portion and illustrates the manner in whichthe hinged members of the said head gear arel clamped'together, water tight, by the user. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a section on the line' 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig.. 3. Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 showing the transparent said parts forming, as is were, jaws,V large enough, when opened out, to permit of pulling the -garment up over the'largest person, and of such length, relatively'to the head portion of the user, that they canbe closedv over the head of the user after the garment or suitvhasbeen put over the clothingusually worn.. vThe jaws or upper secvtions 6 6 are secured at their sides and upper ends to `a shaped steel frame comprised of two sections 8 8 hinged at the lower ends as at .7, and having their opposing edges so beveled that one of the sections 8, can be closed, water tight, within the other section, the said beveled or clamping edgesj being suitably padded, as at 9 to eEect the said water tight closure, see

Fig. 4.,

In one ofthe sections 8 `islocated a port hole 10, `having a transparent cover 11, see

Fi 6, soarranged that it may be readily adjusted to the open or closed position b the user within the garment.

i 12 designates a pair of 'cam shaped clamp levers mounted on the upper cross member of one of the shaped sections, and relatively so arranged, with respect to a pair of hooks 25 with other baggage.

13-13 projected inwardly from the adjacent member of the other section 8, that the user within the garment can readily move the clamp levers 12 into a locked engagement with the said hooks 13, after he has swung the head sections to their closed position.

14 designates a life preserver, in the nature of an air belt that is attached to the garment around the body portion thereof as shown and the said belt has a valved inlet 15 on the outside for filling it and a similar inlet 16 that projects through the body of the garment to thereby allow the 15 user within the suit, to iniate the belt.

17 designate pockets within the garment for storing fresh water, eatables, an air' pump and such other articles as will aid in keeping the user, in case he has to stayafioat an extended length of time.

By reason of the peculiar construction of my life saving garment, the same, when not in use, when the life belt is deflated, may be readily packed, and stored in a trunk When necessity for the use of the garment arises, the belt can be quickly inflated, and with the upper part or jaws spread apart, the user can quickly' apply the garment by-pulling it up over the body, and when on the user can, working the hands on the inside of the garment, effect the water tight locking of the steel frame jaws, it being understood the port hole is also closed. When thus applied, the

user can drop or dive into the water and ,as soon as he rises to the upright position with the head above the water, the port hole can be opened to admit air and when in calm water, he can open up the head section and stay afloat with the head exposed,

which gives him an additional convenience since they head is not confined within the garment.

The pockets within the garment may be large enough for storing sufficient water and foodstuffs to keep the user alive for days and by reason of the free inflow of air to the upper endl of the garment, the

user can, asV conditions may require, reinflate the life belt from within the garment.

The advantage of my improved life saving garment over other like garments heretofore provided, is the simplicity of construction, the ease in which it Acan be applied by the user Without assistance from others and the provision made for entirely exposing the headl under conditions that will admit of opening the top ports without danger of shipping water.

What I claim is:

A life saving garment of non-sinkable waterproof material comprising a bodyportion, leg and arm members closed at their ends, an iniated belt-like portion that surrounds the body, a head portion formedy of two opposing sections hinged to open out like a pair of jaws, a port hole in one of the said sections, stiffening elements on the 

